Delosperma plant named ‘Dodelsolpi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Delosperma  plant named ‘Dodelsolpi’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; typically used as a groundcover; moderately vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely basal branching habit; dense and bushy habit; early and freely flowering habit; large red purple-colored flowers with yellow and white-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Delosperma cooperi.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DODELSOLPI’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE APPLICANT

The Applicant asserts that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date. Disclosures include a reference to the claimed plant on the website of Dümmen Orange B. V.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Delosperma plant, botanically known as Delosperma cooperi, commonly called Trailing Ice Plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dodelsolpi’.

The new Delosperma plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new early-flowering Delosperma plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Delosperma plant originated from a self-pollination in July, 2016 of a proprietary selection of Delosperma cooperi identified as code number DL-0011, not patented. The new Delosperma plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated self-pollination in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2019.

Asexual reproduction of the new Delosperma plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in Rheinberg, Germany, since June, 2019 has shown that the unique features of this new Delosperma plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Delosperma have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dodelsolpi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dodelsolpi’ as a new and distinct Delosperma plant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit;         typically used as a groundcover.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit; dense and bushy habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large red purple-colored flowers with yellow and         white-colored centers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Delosperma differ primarily from plants of the parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Delosperma have red purple-colored flowers whereas plants of the parent selection have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Delosperma can be compared to plants of Delosperma cooperi ‘Wheels of Wonder Orange’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Delosperma differ from plants of ‘Wheels of Wonder Orange’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Delosperma are more upright than and not as         trailing as plants of ‘Wheels of Wonder Orange’.     -   2. Plants of the new Delosperma have smaller leaves than plants         of ‘Wheels of Wonder Orange’.     -   3. Plants of the new Delosperma have larger flowers than plants         of ‘Wheels of Wonder Orange’.     -   4. Plants of the new Delosperma have red purple-colored flowers         whereas plants of ‘Wheels of Wonder Orange’ have orange-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Delosperma plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Delosperma plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) is a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dodelsolpi’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 2) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dodelsolpi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 22-cm containers during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Delosperma production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched once three weeks after planting and were three months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Delosperma cooperi ‘Dodelsolpi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Delosperma             cooperi identified as code number DL-0011, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Delosperma             cooperi identified as code number DL-0011, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About one week at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white, close to             155D, in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial grown as a             container and landscape plant and typically used as a             groundcover; upright and outwardly spreading plant habit;             freely flowering habit with numerous flowers positioned             above the foliar plane; appropriate for 9 to 22-cm             containers; moderately vigorous growth habit and rapid             growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 52 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about three             primary lateral branches each with about six secondary             lateral branches developing per plant; pinching (removal of             the terminal apex) enhances lateral branch development. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 27 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Strength.—Relatively weak.         -   Texture and luster.—Moderately pubescent; semi-glossy.         -   Color, developing.—Close to 144D.         -   Color, developed.—Close to 199B; at the internodes, close to             61A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Decussate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 mm.         -   Shape.—Ligulate, triangular in cross-section.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire, not undulate.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately             pubescent; semi-glossy; succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface:             Close to 146A; venation, close to 146A. Developing and fully             developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A; venation,             close to 146A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single rotate terminal             flowers; freely flowering habit with about 270 flowers             developing per plant during the flowering season; flowers             face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Faint, sweet and pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Delosperma begin             flowering about eight weeks after planting and flower from             June to September in the landscape in Germany.         -   Flower longevity.—Flower last about five to six days;             flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1.6 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Ovate to oblong. Texture and luster: Moderately             pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: About 45 petals in about two whorls.             Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire,             not undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 75B and proximally, close to 155C.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to N74C; towards the             base, close to 1C, at the base, close to 155C; venation,             close to N74B; colors becoming closer to N80B and 1A with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N74C and             towards the base, close to 155C; venation, close to N74B;             colors becoming closer to N80B and 155C with development.         -   Petaloids.—Arrangement: About 39 petaloids in about two             whorls. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire, not             undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 155C. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 2A; venation, close to 2A; color becoming             closer to 6A with development.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five in a single whorl forming a             star-shaped calyx; about 7 mm in height and about 5 mm in             diameter. Length: About 7 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous;             semi-glossy. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 146A. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Relatively weak. Texture and luster: Moderately             pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 145B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About 61 per             flower. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close             to 155C. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther color: Close to 13C. Amount of pollen:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 9A. Gynoecium: Pistil             number: About five. Pistil length: About 2 mm. Style length:             About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 22A. Stigma diameter:             About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Triangular, lobed. Stigma color:             Close to 22A. Ovary color: Close to 143D.         -   Fruits.—Quantity: About 140 fruits develop per plant.             Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm. Texture:             Moderately pubescent. Color: Close to 161A.         -   Seeds.—Quantity: About 230 seeds develop per fruit. Length:             About 1 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture: Rough, knobby.             Color: Close to 166C. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Delosperma have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures from     about 5° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Delosperma     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Delosperma plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Delosperma plant named ‘Dodelsolpi’ as illustrated and described. 